You see, Jovial Foods and Gluten Free Girl teamed up to create this contest. It involves a week in Lucca, my very favorite city in Italy, cooking with Shawna of Gluten Free Girl.

Last month I submitted my (short; under 300 words, I believe) entry. They had over 500. And I’m in the top 15. I’m a finalist!

But I need a lot of votes. I’m currently in fifth place (boo!) and 200 votes behind the leader. I wouldn’t expect you to vote for me if you really don’t like me and my story, of course… But I really DO appreciate your support, if you care to give it!

Here’s my entry:

My grandmother was an amazing cook. From the time I was very little, when she watched me during the days my mother was at work, she’d let me be with her in the kitchen. I would spend hours helping clean green beans (a perfect task for little fingers), or sift flour (just for fun). My favorite memory, though, was making pasta fritta (or gnocco fritto, or fried bread dough) with her. We’d mix up a big bowl of her homemade bread, roll it out and cut it into pieces, and fry it in a pan on the stove. It would puff up and turn crisp before being taken out and put in a paper bag to help them drain. I’d shake the closed bag with the pasta fritta inside, and a little salt to coat. Then, once we were finished with all the frying, we’d eat. Mountains of fried bread dough, filled with Italian meats, cheeses, and sausages. It was heaven. My grandmother passed away 18 years ago, and I’m gluten intolerant now (no pasta fritta for me anymore) but I will always remember cooking with her!

If you’d like to vote for me, and help me get to cook in Italy with Gluten Free Girl, go to http://www.facebook.com/jovialfoods and click on “like.” Actually you should totally do this anyway. Their pasta is amazing (and no, I don’t get any bonus points for saying that!). Even my gluten-eating husband can’t tell the difference in texture or taste between Jovial’s brown rice pasta and regular old wheat pasta. It’s so yummy!

Anyway, after you “like” Jovial foods, you’ll need to click on the “Vote Now” link on the left side of their page, and follow the instructions to vote. I’m the only Elisa in the group. 🙂

Just in case you were wondering, I am not getting anything for posting this (except maybe votes for the contest!), I don’t have any personal connection to Jovial foods or Gluten Free Girl (except that I like them both!), and I’ve never received anything free from Jovial (or any other GF company for that matter, and that’s how I like it!).